


Delicate

by angstycole



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Cheerleader!Betty - Freeform, Eventual Smut, F/M, JB and Jug are twins, Slow Burn, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Strangers to Lovers, Tension, Very AU, Writer!Jughead, lots of flirting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-01-23 06:46:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21315916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angstycole/pseuds/angstycole
Summary: Betty Cooper is a Rivervixen and is excited to start senior year. One step closer to going to college away from her mom. When the girl she's a peer mentor for decides she wants to become a cheerleader, Betty is ecstatic. But then Betty goes over to help her practice and is speechless when she sees the boy that opens the door. This could either go very good or very bad.
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 14
Kudos: 99





	1. Forsythe

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm attempting another multi chapter fic! I've had this idea in mind for a while now and I hope you all like it! And of course thank you so much to Gabi for editing<3

Betty Cooper has been a Rivervixen since freshman year, and she loves it because it always takes her mind off whatever stressful things are going on in her life. It might even be her ticket to college, which is perfect since her crazy mom would never in a million years pay for her to go to college if she was going to be a cheerleader. Alice Cooper wants a daughter who is very poised and professional at all times, a journalist is her dream for Betty. But Betty loathes writing. The summer before freshman year, Alice had Betty intern at the Register, and it was awful. She honestly didn’t mind all the detective work she had to do to get all the information, but the act of actually writing the article was a thing of biblical proportions. Her sentences just wouldn’t flow as she wanted, and it made her incredibly frustrated. But her mom still tried getting her into all sorts of writing classes and internships, no matter how many times she said she didn’t want to. One particular writing class she’s been going to on weekends just to shut her mom up, she doesn’t actually mind. It started at the beginning of summer, and now there was only one more class until it was over. The writing part can be daunting, but there’s a gorgeous boy there that she could stare at all day. He hardly ever looks up from his computer to notice her because he’s always so focused on his writing. It’s adorable, to be honest. His name is Forsythe, and he has the most beautiful green-blue eyes and black hair that she would love to run her fingers through.

Today is Monday, the start of senior year for Betty, and she couldn’t be more excited. College away from her mom was just one step closer. The vixens have to hold tryouts after school because they’re short one girl, and that makes Betty even more excited for the day.

Tryouts always prove to be very interesting.

Betty gets to school early because she signed up to be a peer mentor for a new girl. She arrives at school at 7:30 AM and gets ready for the little tour she always prepares for newbies.

When the bell is about to ring for first period, she sees a girl walking up to her. She’s wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt, black jeans, and combat boots. Her hair is dead-straight and black. She’s beautiful, to say the least, and looks strangely familiar. “Um hi, the office told me I could find you here. Are you my peer mentor?”

“Hi!! Yes, I am your peer mentor. So nice to meet you..?”

“Jellybean, but most everyone calls me JB.”

Betty furrows her brow, “Jellybean?”

She just laughs, “Yeah, it’s just a nickname, you would die if you heard my real name.”

“I’m sure it can’t be as bad as Jellybean.”

“Oh, trust me, it’s worse.”

“Well, it’s so nice to meet you, JB. I’m Betty.”

“See now that’s a normal name.” They both laugh. Betty leads the way down the hall.

About an hour later, Betty finishes her tour, and she swears it’s like they’ve known each other their whole lives. They just click, and Betty can already tell they’re going to be great friends.

“Thanks for showing me around, Betty. I definitely feel less anxious about my first day now.”

“No problem at all. Hey, do you want to sit with a few friends and me at lunch? I’m sure you’d fit right in.”

She brightens up at that, “I would love too!”

“Great, see you then!”

At lunch, Betty waves Jellybean over to where Veronica, Toni, and herself are sitting. JB happily comes over and sits next to Betty with Veronica and Toni sitting in front of them. “Hey JB, so this is Veronica and Toni.”

“Hey, nice to meet you guys.” She says.

“Likewise,” Veronica says, looking her up and down. “You know, you would make the perfect flyer for our cheer-leading team.”

She laughs, shifting in her chair uncomfortably, and looking down at herself, “Really?”

“Come on, Veronica, don’t scare the poor girl.” Toni chimes in, smiling at JB, reassuringly. “We are having tryouts after school though, and you’re welcome to come.”

Jellybean smiles at Toni and blushes, “Oh...I don’t know cheer-leading isn’t really my thing.”

“It would be a great extracurricular activity, and you never know unless you try.” Betty says, trying to convince JB to come. “And Veronica is right, you’d make a great flyer.”

“Ugh, thanks, but I hate being so short and tiny. Why did my brother have to hog the tall gene?”

“Don’t wish to be tall, it’s really not as great as it sounds,” Toni exclaims. “You’re cute just the way you are.”

JB smiles.

“I really can’t with all of this flirting going on right now.” Veronica says, which makes both Toni and JB blush. “But let’s focus on what’s important, first. So, you have a brother??”

“Yeah, we’re twins, actually. His name is Jughead.”

“Jughead?” Veronica laughs. “That’s even worse than Jellybean.” Veronica cringes as Toni jabs her in the side with her elbow.

“Yeah, apparently, our parents want us to get bullied,” Jellybean says.

“Well, who cares about a name anyway. The point is there’s a boy version of you. God, he must be attractive.” Veronica says, raising her eyebrows at Betty.

Betty laughs, “Veronica, you have a boyfriend.” She and Archie have been dating for about three years now, and if any couple from high school will last after senior year, it will be them. Betty has always looked at them as the perfect example of what love is. Trust. Loyalty. Everything that her parents never had.

Veronica scoffs, playfully, “Not for me, for you, silly.” She lays her hand on Betty’s and squeezes. “It’s time for you to get back into the dating game, girl.”

“Ew, what?” Jellybean says, scrunching up her nose. “I do not need to hear about my brother this way. Gross.”

“Exactly,” Betty says, trying to hide the fact that she was a little sad that JB wouldn’t like the thought of her and her twin dating. But she already had a boy in her life, anyway. Well, sort of. Forsythe probably didn’t even know her name. “I don’t need a boy distracting me right now.”

“Oh, come on, just give it a try,” Veronica says, dramatically.

“Anyways,” Betty says, changing the subject. “Do you think you’ll come to tryouts, JB?”

JB thinks for a moment, “I…guess I could give it a try. I have done gymnastics, so maybe I would be good at cheer-leading.

Betty playfully slaps JB’s arm and smiles, “You’ve done gymnastics?? You’re going to be an amazing cheerleader, trust me.”

They all finish their lunch, and before Betty knows it, it’s time for tryouts. Her Veronica and Toni are the only seniors in the Vixens, so they get to decide who joins. Jellybean is one of the last ones to come in, and Betty couldn’t be happier to see her because the tryouts had not been too great. First, a few elementary school-aged kids came in, which was adorable, but they obviously couldn’t join, and then a few people came in thinking they were auditioning for the play. The people that were actually eligible to participate just weren’t showstoppers. Luckily Jellybean crushed it, and everyone agreed she would be a fantastic Rivervixen. They were all leaving the school just as the sun was going down. JB and Betty both decided that she would come over at the start of the weekend and teach Jellybean more cheer-leading moves since she had never done it before. Betty had to admit she was excited.

The first week of senior year flew by. Betty had never seen so many applications to fill out. Scholarship opportunities, college visits to schedule. It was mayhem, but Betty flourished in it. She loved being so busy all the time. The weekend approached quickly, and Betty was looking forward to the sleepover at Jellybean’s house. It was Friday night as Betty packed a few things in her backpack and headed downstairs to tell her mom she was leaving.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Alice said, putting down the newspaper she was reading over and glaring at Betty over her reading glasses.

“To a friend’s house. It’s just a sleepover, mom.”

“Fine, but you better not get into any trouble, young lady.”

Betty nods and quickly opens the door. She walks out before her mom can say anything else. She kind of feels bad for her mom. Her dad left them high and dry when Betty was in middle school, and she could tell her mom was lonely. But, that was no reason to treat her daughter like shit all the time and try to force her into being something she’s just not going to be.

When she arrives at Jellybean’s house, she sees a quaint little one-story house. She knocks on the door. When the door opens, she’s expecting to see Jellybean, but that’s not who answers. His messy black hair is the first thing she sees and then the signature 'S' shirt. She’s speechless. No way. What is Forsythe doing here? He kind of looks at her weird like he’s thinking the same thing about her. “Um, hi, do I have the wrong house?” Betty asks.

“Depends who you’re looking for,” He says, leaning against the doorway, wiggling around a toothpick between his teeth. Betty tries not to think about all the things he could do to her with his mouth. A shiver runs down her spine at the thought. A strand of his hair falls over one of his eyes, and Betty has to refrain from staring. How can someone be this attractive?

She lets out a nervous laugh and crosses her arms, “Um, Jellybean?”

“Oh, my sister, yeah, she’s here. Come on in, Betty.” He says, walking inside. He motions with his arm for her to come in. So, he did know her name.

She stays standing at the doorway, puzzled. “Wait, you’re Jughead? Jellybean’s twin?”

He comes back toward the doorway and looks at her, smirking, “The one and only.”

“So, you’re Jughead? Not Forsythe?”

“Forsythe's my real name, but I think it’s too pretentious. Everyone calls me Jughead.” He explains. “So, are you coming in or what?”

_Absolutely_, Betty thinks to herself as she follows him in.


	2. Movie Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty and Jellybean decide to have a movie night and Jellybean falls asleep half-way through. What could happen when Jughead comes out of his room and decides to watch the rest of the movie with Betty?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH I love this chapter! Thank you so much to Gabi for being my beta! 
> 
> Would you guys want a chapter in more of Jughead's perspective or should I just keep it in Betty's perspective?

After Betty taught Jellybean some cheer-leading moves they were both worn out and decided to watch a movie in the living room.

“Wow, you guys have quite the movie collection,” Betty said looking at their huge cabinet filled with movies.

“Yeah, Jughead’s kind of a film freak so we have a lot of old ones, all the newer ones are here thanks to me,” Jellybean said, sifting through the cabinet. “So, what do you want to watch?”

“Jughead’s into old movies  _ and  _ writing?” Betty asked, amazed.

“He’s obsessed with both. He wants to write a screenplay someday.”

“That’s pretty cool,” Betty said. She began to think about her aspirations to be a cheerleader and how meaningless that seemed compared to the big dreams Jughead has.

“It is. He could definitely write one, he’s crazy talented.” Jellybean said. 

”Anyways, ” Jellybean began with a sigh, ”Enough about him, what movie?”

Betty curled up on the couch, thinking. “Hmm, how about Rebel Without a Cause?”

Jellybean looked through the movies for a moment and pulled the movie out. “You’re in luck! This is actually one of Jughead’s favorites.” She put the disk in and joined Betty under the blanket as the movie started.

About halfway through Betty noticed that Jellybean had fallen asleep. She sighed and stretched out. Watching a movie alone wasn’t so bad. Before she knew it she was dozing off too.

Suddenly, Betty heard footsteps and her eyes flew open. She quietly jumped up off the couch to see what it was. She rounded behind the couch and ran straight into a very hard body. She felt her ass hit the hardwood floor.

“Ow!” She whisper-yelled.

She heard a slight laugh, “Sorry about that.”

Betty looked up to see Jughead, his face in darkness apart from the light the TV was offering, with his hand out to help her up. She took it reluctantly, “Sorry, I forgot other people live here.” Betty mentally scolded herself.  _ You forgot other people live here? What are you saying?  _ Her head was still spinning with the fact that she was in Jughead’s house. She never thought she would even speak to this guy.

“You’re good. I was just coming to get some food and go back to working on the last writing assignment for class tomorrow.” He glanced over at the TV and saw what was playing. “On second thought maybe, I’ll stay here and watch this.”

“Oh yeah, it’s already over half over. I can restart it if you want.” Betty whispered, not wanting to wake up Jellybean.

“No, that’s okay I’ve probably watched it 1,000 times by now.”

Betty went to sit back on the couch and Jughead followed plopping down, right next to her making her hit Jellybean. She jumped awake and huffed.

She looked confused for a second and then glanced at Jughead and rolled her eyes. She got up and went to her bedroom.

“Don’t mind her, she gets pretty cranky when she’s sleepy,” Jughead said, stretching out his legs onto the coffee table in front of the couch.

Betty tried to ignore how close they were sitting. Jughead’s shoulder brushed hers as he reached for a blanket and her breath caught in her throat.  _ Get it together, Betty. He’s Jellybean’s brother! _

Besides the movie playing, it was quiet for a few minutes and it felt awkward to Betty for some reason. They have been going to the same writing class together all summer and never said a word to each other and now they’re suddenly watching a movie together?

“So, are you sad tomorrow’s the last day of our writing class?” She asked him, trying to make conversation.

Jughead turned to her, shock written all over his face, “No,” He said. “No way, you’re one of those people that talks during movies?” He throws his head back and puts his hand over his eyes, melodramatically. “I can’t believe this.”

Betty laughed, “We’ve both seen this movie so I thought it would be fine.”

Jughead sat back up and thought about it for a second, “I guess it’s okay this time, but just for future reference, you never talk during movies.”

Betty nodded, smiling at him, “You know you’re nothing like how I would’ve thought you would be. You’re always so serious-like in our class, it’s nice to see the humorous side of you.”

“Oh that? I was totally serious.” He said, sardonically, trying to keep a straight face.

Betty laughed and grabbed a pillow, hitting him in the face with it.

They finished the rest of the movie, not paying any attention to it at all. It was one of those nights where you just sit and talk about anything and everything and nothing all at the same time. Betty quickly learned Jughead liked to joke around and be flirty, but he could also be really serious and genuine. She loved that.

The next morning Betty slowly opened her eyes, very confused. Did she fall asleep on the couch last night? She opened her eyes fully and realized there were two extra arms around her and the last time she checked she didn’t have four arms. She tried to stretch but was trapped between these arms.

“Jellybean!” Betty huffed turning over to face her. She almost screamed when she saw Jughead’s face. Ohh, they must have fallen asleep last night. She turned away from his face and laid there for a moment, not wanting to disturb him and started untangling herself from his arms.

Jughead stretched then, and his arms went around her even tighter. Betty wasn’t complaining about his arms around her, by any means, but she definitely needed to get up before JB walked in and saw. That would be hard to explain.

She slowly tried to untangle herself again and this time his arms started to move again. She waited for them to go around her tighter again, but this time they slowly moved, and she felt Jughead’s body move behind her, slowly. Shit, he woke up.

She slowly turned around to face him as he was sitting up. His hair was mussed from sleeping. He rubbed his eyes and looked at her, “Morning?”

Betty nodded, stretching, “Yeah, I guess we fell asleep.” She was trying her hardest not to be awkward about it. All they did was fall asleep next to each other, what was the big deal?

Just then Jellybean walked out of her bedroom.

Betty quickly jumped up off the couch, not wanting her to get any ideas. “Oh, good morning JB!”

“Wha- I- Were you just lying next to Jughead?”

“Ummm,” Betty said, twisting her hands around, not knowing what to say.

Jughead turned to look at her, “No, she wasn’t. And mind your own business Jellybean.”

“Whatever Jughead...Fuck, it’s too early for this,” Jellybean said, scowling at Jughead. She went into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Betty could hardly hold in her laughter.

Jughead turned back to look at her. He smirked as he got up and winked at her. Betty’s cheeks betrayed her as she felt them turn red. She turned her head away from him as he walked passed her to the kitchen so maybe he wouldn’t see.

“Why, Betty, are you blushing?” He said. 

She turned to him and saw him smiling all smug as he got Cap’n Crunch and milk out.

“Shut up.” She said, walking over to the kitchen. “Can I have a bowl?”

“You want to smoke a bowl this early? Geez, Betty.”

Betty was so shocked and tried to explain that she meant cereal, but she got so tongue tied, nothing would come out.

“Kidding, kidding.” Jughead chuckled as he poured milk into the bowl of cereal. “Unless you want to?”

Betty couldn’t help giggling and playfully hit him in the arm. She went to go sit at the table. Flirty banter with Jughead was going to become one of Betty’s favorite things if he didn’t cut it out.

She realized that staying away from Jughead was going to be a lot harder than she thought.

Jughead looked over at Betty sitting at the kitchen table and smiled. There was just something about her that was driving him crazy.


	3. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's homecoming and someone spiked the punch!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry I haven't updated in a while, college has been keeping me super busy, but here it is finally!   
Thank you to Gabi for being my beta:)

It’s been about two weeks since Betty slept over at Jughead and Jellybean’s house and since then her and Jughead have gotten so much closer. She wanted to tell him everything about herself and everything that happened to her in a day and so did he. He’s smart and funny and flirty and sweet. In other words, the perfect guy for Betty.

Jughead started sitting with her Veronica, Toni, and Jellybean at lunch. The first day he sat next to Betty they all gave her a funny look, but she assured them they were just friends, no matter how bad she wished they were more. She didn’t want to make anything weird for JB. Betty didn’t know what it was about him, but he made all of her senses stronger and weaker at the same time. She had never been like this about a boy in her entire life. What was wrong with her? She’s seen plenty of guys she’s found attractive before, but none of them have ever had this effect on her. And he was so smart which made him even hotter to Betty.

Jughead’s leg brushing against hers brought Betty’s mind back to the present. She looked over at him and he was eating his lunch like he didn’t just do that on purpose. She decided she would mess with him a little and put her hand on his upper thigh. As she did it his body went still, and he looked over at her. Betty continued eating like she wasn’t doing anything. She slowly moved it higher and suddenly Jughead jumped up and said he was done eating. Betty tried her best to hold in a laugh. Messing with him was too fun.

“What’s up with him?” Veronica asked, furrowing her brows.

Betty shrugged her shoulders, appearing clueless, “Who knows.”

“JB, do you know?” Veronica asked, but she got no answer.

Toni and Jellybean were sitting next to each other talking like nobody else was around. They were in their own little bubble. “Jellybean!” Veronica said, snapping her fingers in JB’s face. JB jumped as she was thrown back into reality.

“What??” She said.

“What’s up with your twin? He just ran off.” Veronica said.

“How should I know, I’m not his keeper,” JB said, turning back to Toni.

“Okay,” Betty smiled at JB. “But can you tell us what’s going on with you two?” Her and Toni had been talking and flirting nonstop sense…Well, since they met practically.

JB looked at Toni and they both smiled.

“Well, we’re not labeling anything yet, but we really think there’s something here between us.” Toni explained.

“Aww,” Veronica and Betty both said, smiling.

“I’m so happy for you guys,” Betty said, softly. “Are you going to the homecoming dance together on Friday?”

“Oh, I don’t think I’m going to go, dances aren’t really my thing,” Jellybean said, looking nervous.

“What??” Toni said, surprised. “You’re a cheerleader, how can you not dance?”

Jellybean sat there not saying anything and then sighed, “Fine, I was going to ask you, but I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Toni gasped, smiling. “Really? I would love to go with you JB!”

They both laughed and hugged, and Betty couldn’t be happier for them.

“Hey Betty, are you going to homecoming with anyone?” JB asked her. “Because I was thinking since me and Toni are going together, and Veronica and Archie are going together, and you and Jughead probably don’t have dates, you guys could go together.” Betty’s heart skipped a beat at that. “As friends of course.” Jellybean laughed.

She sighed internally but tried to play it cool. She guessed going with him as a friend was better than not going with him at all.

Later that night Betty’s phone dinged with a text from Jughead.

**Jughead: that thing at lunch was not funny**

**Betty: ha! I thought it was**

**Jughead: easy for you to say, you don’t have a body part that reacts to things haphazardly**

**Betty: and thank god**

**Jughead: so, are you coming over tonight to watch a movie?**

**Betty: yea, as long as I can sneak past my mom**

**Jughead: okay, see you in half an hour Marion Crane**

**Betty: see ya, Sam Loomis!**

They were going to watch Psycho that night and Betty couldn’t wait. They had been having old movie nights everyday for the past week and Betty loved them. She smiled at her phone and jumped off her bed to go over to Jughead’s.

When Betty arrived the house smelled like buttery popcorn. “That smells amazing,” she told Jughead as she walked in.

“Oh, thanks it’s this new cologne I’m trying out. Do you think it’ll work on the ladies?”

Betty laughed, “For sure, definitely.” She looked around for JB, but didn’t see her. “Where’s JB?”

“She’s at a sleepover at Toni’s,” Jughead said, air quoting sleepover.

“Ohhhh,” Betty said, realizing what he was implying. “Well, that’s sweet.” 

Betty walked over to the couch and got under a blanket, waiting for Jughead to get done making the popcorn.

Soon, Jughead joined her on the couch and the movie started. Not even ten minutes in Betty wanted nothing more than to lean on him. His arm was draped over the top of the couch so not directly around her, but still she could easily lean into him. She looked over at him and he was completely into the movie and so was Betty, but she couldn’t stop thinking about how good he smelled and how warm and cozy she would feel if she just leaned into him.

After a few minutes of thought she slowly leaned into him. She looked at him to make sure it was okay and he just smiled and put his arm around her. She smiled back and snuggled in closer. 

They didn’t talk much during the movie, but unlike the first time they watched a movie together, it was a comfortable silence.

It was Friday night as Betty looked at herself in the mirror one last time as she heard the honk outside. Her dress was satin light blue and it stopped just above her knees. She hoped she wasn’t showing too much cleavage. She was so nervous and didn’t want to come off as slutty, she just wanted to subtly shock Jughead. She never wore things like this. Her usual attire was either her cheer-leading uniform or jeans and a nice shirt.

She walked outside and everyone in the limo started whistling and cheering her on which made her feel a lot better about her wardrobe choice. She jokingly strutted down her sidewalk and laughed as she reached the car. Jughead hopped out to let her in and Betty never knew she how much she needed to see Jughead in a tux until now. It was a welcome difference from his usual plaids and grays. He looked sexy. She quickly looked back up at his face, realizing he probably just saw her shamelessly look him up and down. He smirked, “You like what you see, Cooper?” She just laughed.

“Don’t flatter yourself Jones.”

He then blatantly looked her up and down and she raised her eyebrow at him, “Well, you like what you see?”

He was speechless for a moment.

“You’re absolutely breathtaking, Betty,” He said, and her cheeks immediately went hot. She wasn’t expecting him to say that.

They got in the car and soon they arrived at the school and headed for the dance floor. The music was loud, and everyone was having a good time. It was extremely hot in the gym as they all started dancing to the music.

Yeah! by Usher came on a few songs in and Betty was so into the music she threw caution to the wind. Or maybe it was just the spiked punch. She ran up to Jughead who was standing on the sidelines, drinking the punch. “You know how to dance right?” Betty asked him and he nodded. “Great!” She said grabbing his hand and leading him onto the dance floor.

It started out innocent, but before they knew it they were grinding on each other. Betty had her arms loosely around his neck and his hands were on her lower back as their bodies moved to the music. They were covered in sweat and soon their foreheads were together, and Betty slowly started moving her lips closer to his. They’re lips were just about to touch when the song ended. They immediately disentangled themselves and looked at each other, both breathing hard.

Betty took his hand and lead them outside, telling herself they needed some cool air, but as soon as they got out there Jughead pressed her against the building and their lips collided. She wrapped her legs around his waist and grabbed his face, bringing him closer. Their breathing was ragged and they couldn’t get close enough to one another. Jughead let out a low moan as she started moving against him.

Suddenly Betty got a little bit of sense knocked into her and pulled away, “Wait, wait, Jug we’re literally outside the school right now. We should probably find a better spot, huh?”

Jughead laughed, “Right, right, umm what about the limo?”

“I like the way you think, Forsythe,” Betty said, licking her lips as she looked at him.

Jughead put her down and they both ran, laughing like idiots, towards the limo.


End file.
